Car-brake



(N0 Model.)

L. E. HERRINCTTON.

GAR BRAKE. v No. 589,968. Patented Sept. 14,1897.

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LZUVRENUE E. IEIERRINGTON, OF ELMIRA, NE\V YORK.

CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 589,968, dated September 14, 1897.

Application filed March 2 7, 1 8 9 7.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, LAWRENCE E. IIERRING- TON, a citizen of the Unit-ed States, residing at Elmira, in the county of Ohemung and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gar-Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in car-brakes in which the brake-shoes are made to engage the track-rails instead of the wheels; and the objects'of my improvements are to provide abrake of this type in which the shoes may be applied to the rails close to the wheels of the car, so that the brake will not be thrown away from the rails when passing around curves; also, toso arrange the operating 1evers and connections as to give greater ef iciency with less labor for the operator, and to leave the space between and near the caraxles free to accommodate electric motors or other propelling mechanisms. I accomplish these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a car-truck, viewed from between the wheels, showing my brake and the manner of applying it; Fig. 2, a plan view of the truck, and Fig. 3 a front elevation. I

Correspondin g parts are designated by similar letters of reference throughout the several views.

On the axles A A of the car, just inside of the wheels, are hung the swing-arms B B B B by means of proper boxes 1) 1717 b, which may be babbitted or supplied with suitable brasses. These arms extend downward on an incline and are bent outward in front of the wheels at either end of the car, so as to come into line with the track-rails as close as possible to the wheels. The extremities of the arms take the form of semielliptical heads Z), to which the brake-shoes C are attached in any desirable manner-as, for instance, a tongue on the shoe bolted into a socket in'the head. These shoes are to be made of cast iron, hard wood, or other suitable material and can be renewed from time to time as they wear away. They are made oblong and curve upward at either end, giving a large friction-surface, much larger than the wheels would give.

Cross-bars D D are bolted to the heads band Serial No. 629,502. (No model.)

hold them the proper distance apart to cause the shoes to conform with the gage of the track; The shoes may also be flanged on the inside, as indicated, to causethemtofollow more perfectly the trend of the rails.

In the ends of the truck-sills E E, where they extend forward of the wheels, are journaled two shafts F F, upon which are keyed or otherwise fastened hubs G G G G, each provided with the arms g g g. The arms 9 are located on the outside of the hubs, in line with the heads I), to which they are connected bylinks H, which are made in two parts connected together by right and left nuts or turn buckles 7t. Ont-he inside'of thehubs G and clearing the insideof the wheels are the arms g g, diametrically opposite each other and set so as to exert their full length in leverage on the connecting rods or cables I J when the brake is operated. These connecting-rods cross each other in pairs at either side of the truck, rods I connect-ing arms g of the hubs on one shaft with arms g of the corresponding hubs on the other shaft, and rods J connecting the arms 9' and g in like manner. On the shafts F F are also fastened the sectors K K, from which run chains or cables L L to the usual brake lever or wheel at either end of the car. The periphery of the sector is properly grooved to keep the chain or cable in place. The springs M M run from these sectors to the boxings on arms B, being connected theretoin suitable eyes or bolts. These springs act to withdraw the brake-shoes when the brake mechanism is released.

In operation, when the motorman turns the crank or wheel at either end of the car, the sector at that end is drawn forward, imparting motion to its shaft F and through it to the arms 9 at either side, which in turn force the brake-shoes down upon the track by means of the links H. At the same time the arms g will exert a pull through connecting rods I or J upon arms 9 at the other end of the car, imparting motion to the shaft F and setting the brakes at that end of the car. Rods I and J will also be supplied with turnbuckles, so that by properly adjusting the lengths of these rods and the links H all four brakeshoes will be brought down upon the track at the same time and with equal force.

As soon as the brake lever or wheel is released the springs M l\[ bring all the parts back to normal position.

It will be seen that by properly proportioning the various levers great force can be exerted upon the brakes withlittle effort on the part of the motorman. By the use of the sec tor the leverage of the force exerted on the shafts F F is made constant. The arms 13 and links II are inclined toward each other and thus hold the brake-shoes firmly in position. The braking force at the forward end of the car is transmitted directly to the front axle through the arms 13, and there is a corresponding pull on the rear axle, exerted through the arms Bat that end of the car. The boxes on the arms B are made so that the axles will run freely in them and will run smoothly, if oiled daily with the rest of the machinery.

I-Ieretofore trackbrakes have generally been applied between the wheels, in which position they are thrown entirely away from the rails 011 curves, especially such curves as are necessary on street-railways. In my construction the brake-shoes hug the wheels closely and their variation from the track-line is very small even on sharp curves. My arrangement also leaves the central space between axles open and unobstructed, and the brake mechanism cannot in any way interfere with the motor mechanism.

Modifications in the arrangement and location of the parts of my device may become necessary in attaching it to various styles of ear-trucks, and it may be desirable in some cases to couple the swing-arms 13 to the framework of the truck instead of to the axles, as shown.

lVithout, therefore, limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement of the device as shown, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a car-brake, the combination, with the car-truck, of swing arms coupled thereto, brake-shoes attached to the extremities of the swing-arms in line with the track-rails, shafts j'ournaled in the truck-sills at either end'of the ear, arms at the ends of the shafts, links coupling these arms to the ends of the swingarms, other arms on the shafts oppositely disposed and coupled together by crossed conneetingrods runningbetween the shafts close to the car-wheels, in the manner shown, and sectors fastened to the shafts in line with and coupled by chains or cables to the brake-lever shafts substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LAIVRENCE E. IIERRINGTON.

itnesses:

HOLLIS H. MILLs, O. TRACEY STAGG. 

